US2087944A - Box or basket - Google Patents

Description

July"27, 1937. w. o. BROWN 2,087,944

BOX OR BASKET I Filed Dec. 19,. 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet? l0 INVENTOR.

E E. Wife) 0. Bran/r7;

ATTORNEY.

Patented duly .27, 1937 2,087,944 BOX on BASKET Walter 0. Brown, Detroit, Mich.

Application December 19, 1934, Serial No. 758,214

7 Claims.

This invention relates to boxes or baskets and the object of the invention is to provide a box or basket made of light material, such as fiber or plywood and arranged so that the boxes will nest together for compactness and provided with means whereby the boxes may be stacked when felled without applying pressure to the contents of the boxes or baskets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box or basket of the character described provided with a ball or stacking iron at each end adapted to be turned into notches provided in the upper side edges or edge of the box and providing cross bars for supporting the. bottom of another box on opposite sides of the transverse center plane when positioned thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a box having sloping side and end walls, an open top, and a ball or stacking iron pivotally mounted at each end and turnable to a position free of the open top to permit a second box to be nested thereon. This arrangement provides for compactness in storage, each box being provided with means to prevent it from binding or sticking in the box in which it is nested.

Another object of the invention is to provide a U-shaped bail pivotally mounted at each end of the box and turnable into metal lined notches provided in the box edges, the cross portions of the balls when so positioned allowing another box to be positioned thereon and the rim of the box extending above the bails to prevent displacement of the upper box in relation to the lower box.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying. drawings in which---- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box or basket embodying my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through a box positioned on the bails or stacking irons of another box.

Fig. 3 is an illustration showing two of the boxes nested together. v

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4-4 I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the box showing the stacking iron in position for use.

Fig. 6 shows a modified form of bracket ar-- ranged to receivethe stacking iron or bail.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on line 1- of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a view showing an alternative means to prevent the boxes from sticking together.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken on line 9-9 .Of Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the device comprises a rectangular base or frame I to the upper surface of which a bottom 2 is secured. This bottom 2 may be provided with apertures 3 for ventilation and may be of plywood, fiber or other suitable material. The sides 4 may also be of the same material and these sides are nailed to the base I at the bottom by nails or'rivets 5, shown in Fig. 1. A rectangular wood frame 6 is preferably provided about the upper edge of the box or basket and the sides 4 may be nailed or riveted to this upper frame. The outside faces of the corners of the box are protected by means of sheet metal corner pieces 1 which extend from the bottom to the top and the top frame is protected at the corners by means of sheet metal brackets 8, shown more particularly in Fig. 1. Each bracket 8 is preferably provided with a formed boss 9 struck outwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 9. This portion 9 is provided with an aperture and the end I!) of a ball or stacking iron II is inserted through this aperture and headed over to provide a head I! to prevent its withdrawal. The brackets 8 are positioned with the portions 9 on the long sides of the boxes so that the bails Il may be pivotally mounted in the portions 9 and may be turned over the ends of the box, as shown at the top of Fig. 3. The upper edges of the box are provided with notches to receive the cross bars of the balls II and in order to prevent wear, a bracket 13 is inserted in each notch and is secured in place by the nails H extending into the top frame 6 of the box.

By this arrangement, the balls or stacking irons l i may be turned to position the cross bars in the notches as shown in Fig. 1, to support a similar box on opposite sides of its transverse center plane as shown in Fig. 2, to allow the boxes to be stacked with material therein. As the balls ll extend'below the upper edges of the respective box, another box positioned on the bails is retained within the upper edge of the lower box to prevent lateral displacement.

While the boxes are being filled, the bails II are turned out of the way, as shown more particularly in Fig. 3, and as the boxes are filled the bails are then turned to position shown in Fig. 2 toallow the boxes to be stacked above each other on the balls. When the boxes are emptied, the balls are turned over the ends of the boxes,

' of this invention, be pivoted to the side walls bets 1 at the four corners of each box.

as shown in Fig. 3, and the boxes are nested by positioning one within the other as shown In order to prevent'the boxes from sticking when so nested, cross pieces l5 are provided in the ends of the boxes at the bottom, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, and the boxes will rest at the ends on these cross pieces to prevent the boxes from being pushed down on each other so tightly as to be difficult to dis-assemble.

An alternative form of notch bracket is. shown in Fig. 6 in which the bracket is provided with a U-shaped portion l6 having horizontal flanges l I extending therefrom and provided with depending flanges [8 which are secured to the top rim of the box by means of the rivets l9, shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This is a slightly stronger bracket for the bail and strengthens the top rail of the box at this point and is the preferred form for use with a box having a thin upper edge.

The box or container may have imperforate side and end walls made of plywood, fiber or other convenient material or may be formed of other character of side walls for various purposes, as for instance wire mesh. Where the material of the side walls is more or less subject to collapse or deformation by stacking of the filled boxes or containers, rails or other charac-' ter of reinforcing elements are provided at the upper periphery of the box as for instance as indicated at 6 in Fig. 1. In case rails are utilized, it is preferable to pivot the bails to such rails although they may, within the spirit and scope or to a bracket applied thereto. With the U- shaped bail as shown with the legs pivoted to the side walls, the legs, when the iron is folded to the position in Fig. 1, lie closely adjacent to and in a plane preferably parallel to the outer face of the rails or side wall and the legs at the bend between the legs and the cross member of the bail or stacking iron prevent bulging of the rail or side wall of a lower boxto a material extent by the weight of superimposed boxes. Where the side walls are of suflicient thickness or strength to permit, the notches may be made directly in the edges of the wall members and preferably provided with wear plates as is suggested in Figs. 1 or 6.

While I have shown spacing members l5 particularly in Fig. 3 for spacing the boxes when nested, it is possible to use an alternative form of spacing means, as shown in Fig. 8. In this form of the device the outer corner angle iron member 1 is provided with a struck-out lug 24 and these are struck out from these outer mem- Thus, when the boxes are nested, the lugs 24 rest upon the upper edges of the box immediately therebeneath and keep the boxes from binding together when nested.

By the construction of the box and stacking irons described, the various objects and features of this invention are attained and it is believed evident from the foregoing that the device is very simple and emcient in operation, will allow the boxes to be stacked or nested by turning the bails to stacking or nesting position and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. A rectangular box of open top and tapered form having the upper opposite side edges provided with a pair of notches spaced from each end thereof, the notches in one side edge being respectively aligned with the notches in the other side, a pair of stacking irons each'pivotally connected to the said opposite side edges and turnable into the pair of aligned notches toward that end of the box to which the iron is pivoted and also'being turnable to a position clear of the top, said notches being of a depth in respect to the size in cross section of the iron lying therein to permit the bottom of a second box resting thereon to occupy a position within and below the plane of the open top.

2. A rectangular box having inwardly inclined side and end walls and an open top, the length and width of the top being greater than the length and width of the bottom, the upper edges of the opposite side walls each having a pair of notches therein opening through the upper edge and equi-distantly spaced from a transverse center plane of the box, a pair of stacking irons U shaped in form each having the ends of its legs pivotally associated with the respective opposite side walls at points respectively adjacent the opposite ends of the box, said irons each being turnable to position the cross member of the iron in the oppositely disposed pair of notches in the upper side rails and also turnable to a position clear of the open top, the pivot points of each iron being positioned in a plane between the respective pair of oppositely disposed notches in the side walls and respective end wall of the box, the notches being of such depth in relation to the cross member lying therein that the bottom of a superimposed box is positioned within and below the plane of the open top of the lower box.

3. A box or crate of rectangular form having inwardly inclined side and endwalls providing a bottom less in width and length than the open top, a pair of stacking irons U shaped in form, the two legs of both irons being pivotally associated with the respective opposite side walls near the top and respectively adjacent the opposite end walls, the irons being movable to position the portion connecting the legs transversely of the open top and respectively on the same side of the transverse center plane of the box as its pivotal connection, the upper edges of the side walls having notches to permit the said connecting portion of the irons to lie in a position below the plane of the upper edges of the side walls and also support the bottom of a second box within and below said plane of the upper edges of the side walls, said irons being movable to position to permit a second box to be inserted therein.

4. In a nesting box having an open top, inwardly inclined side and end walls and a bottom less in widthand length than the top, a frame surrounding the upper edge of the said sides and ends, a pair of stacking irons "pivotally supported. by the side members of the upper frame adjacent the corners and 'shiftable to a position to engage the bottom of a similar box to support the same or to position clear of the open top to permit nesting of a similar box therein, said side frames having notches in the upper edges to receive a portion of the irons to position the bottom of a superimposed box below the plane of the top whereby the superimposed box is held from material lateral displacement by the upper edges of the side and end walls.

5. In a nesting box having an open top, and 75 inclined sideand end walls and a bottom less in length and width than the top, a pair of U shaped stacking irons pivotally supported by opposite side walls each adjacent the respective end walls of the box, said irons each being turnable to a position with the cross member lying transversely of the box on the same side of the center plane as its pivot point or turnable overthe end of the box to permit a second box to be nested therein, the upper edges of the side walls being notched to receive the cross members of the respective irons whereby they may occupy a position below the plane of the open top to support the bottom of a second box within and below the plane of the said open top, and wear plates in the said notches. l

6. A rectangular box having the upper and opposite edges of the side Walls provided with a pair of notches spaced from each end thereof, the notches in one side edge being respectively aligned with the notches in the other side edge, a U shaped stacking iron having the ends of the legs pivotally connected to the said opposite side walls near the top and lying closely adjacent the exterior face thereof, said irons each being turnable over the top of the box to lie in a pair of aligned notches on the same side of the transverse center plane of the box as its pivot point and being turnable to a position clear of the top.

7. A box or crate of rectangular form having tapered side and end walls to permit nesting of the boxes, the upper opposite side rails of the box each having a pair of notches spaced from each end thereof, the notches of one side wall being aligned with notches in the other side, a pair of stacking irons each comprising aro'd of U form, the legs and the connecting member of each iron occupying substar-tLally the same plane, the ends of the legs of each iron being pivoted to the respective opposite side walls of the box adjacent an end wall and the connecting member of each iron being turnable into the pair of aligned notches adjacent the same end Wall of the box, the arrangement further providing for the turning of the stacking irons to a position clear of the open top.

WALTER 0. BROWN.

Images